(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) TOKYO, Jan 23 (KUNA) -- Japan said on Monday that it will strengthen bilateral ties with the US under new American President Donald Trump, while stressing the importance of implementing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement.
"We hope to make the Japan-US alliance more solid and further enhance bilateral ties with the US under the new administration.
The Japan-US alliance serves as the foundation of diplomacy and security," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference.
The top government spokesman also said Japan will take various opportunities to convince Trump to rethink his statement to withdraw from the TPP agreement.
"The TPP has great strategic and economic significance and it will bring prosperity and stability to the region.
We want to tenaciously encourage the US administration while seeking its understanding about TPP's specific meaning for the US," said Suga.
The US-led TPP member also include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
The deal, signed in February 2016, requires ratification by at least six countries accounting for 85 percent of the combined GDP of the 12 member states.
The agreement cannot enter into force without the US ratification, as its GDP alone constitutes about 60 percent of the total TPP. But Trump, who took office on Friday, has vowed to withdraw from the TPP, calling the deal "a potential disaster" for the US.
Suga also said the government will closely monitor impact of the Trump administration's policies on Japanese companies.
In his inauguration speech, Trump reiterated his vision of an "America first" policy, saying, "every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families." (end) mk.mb
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.